git-basics

Git Basics

Introductory tutorial on Git basics.

Pre-tutorial Instructions

This tutorial will use Git and Bash. You can use a basic terminal and a text editor or an editor with an integrated terminal like VSCode.

Note

All examples in this tutorial use the bash shell. Switch to bash in whatever terminal you use with the command bash (e.g. default shell on macOS is now zsh)

See the following instructions to ensure the necessary software is installed on your computer: Prerequisite documentation

Following completion of the prerequisite instructions verify that git is available with the command git --version. If you have trouble with the installation, come to office hours on 6/10/2025 for help.

Tutorial Slides and Recording

• Recording: Link to recording
• Resources: resources.md

Tutorial Outline

1. What is Git (and why should I use it)?

2. Git reference commands

3. Initialization or cloning and basic settings

   • Exercise 1: clone and setup

4. Branches, commits, and history

   • Exercise 2: branch and commit

5. Pulling it together - merging and rebasing

   • Exercise 3: merge and rebase

6. And more!